Brazing system and method

Abstract

A brazing system has a first gas source, a second gas source, a first enclosure, a second enclosure, a brazing torch, and a control system configured to control a ratio of the first gas source and the second gas source.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A brazing system comprising:
 a first gas source and a second gas source; 
 a first enclosure having a first inlet, a first outlet, a first regulator valve, and a first micrometer valve, wherein the first gas source is connected to the first inlet of the first enclosure and the first regulator valve and the first micrometer valve are inside the first enclosure; 
 a first flow meter connected to the first outlet of the first enclosure; 
 a second enclosure having a first inlet, a first outlet, a second regulator valve, and a second micrometer valve, wherein the second gas source is connected to the first inlet of the second enclosure and the second regulator valve and the second micrometer valve are inside the second enclosure; 
 a second flow meter connected to the first outlet of the second enclosure; and further wherein 
 the first and second enclosures are separate; 
 a brazing torch having an operating trigger; 
 a control system controlling at least one of the first regulator valve, the first micrometer valve, the second regulator valve, and the second micrometer valve, said control system regulating a ratio of the first gas source and the second gas source, 
 wherein the control system further includes a user interface whereby a target for at least one of the following may be entered by an operator and an actual value of at least one of the following may be monitored by the control system: a gas type, a pressure, a micrometer setting, a coefficient of flow, at least one flow rate, a gas ratio, and at least one type of brazing flame, and further 
 wherein the first enclosure and the second enclosure further include pressure relief valves that exhaust to an external atmosphere. 
 
     
     
       2. The brazing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first gas source comprises oxygen and the second gas source comprises a fuel, and wherein the fuel is selected from the group consisting of at least one of the following: acetylene, propylene, propane, natural gas, hydrogen, butane, and methane. 
     
     
       3. The brazing system of  claim 1  further comprising a lock configured to limit additions to or changes to the control system. 
     
     
       4. The brazing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first flow meter and the second flow meter each include an orifice valve. 
     
     
       5. The brazing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first enclosure and the second enclosure further include pressure gauges. 
     
     
       6. The brazing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first regulator valve, the second regulator valve, the first micrometer valve, the second micrometer valve, the first flow meter, and the second flow meter are automated or manual and include at least one of the following types of controls: pneumatic, electrical, mechanical. 
     
     
       7. The brazing system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to control the first flow meter and the second flow meter. 
     
     
       8. The brazing system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface determines a first setting for the first flow meter and a second setting for the second flow meter, and the first flow meter and the second flow meter are manually set.